Neuroscience has proven that positive emotional energy is necessary for the kind of behaviour that fosters collaboration. That kind of behaviour skill requires not only a huge amount of self-awareness and understanding of one’s personal behaviour preferences and how you affect others, but also a deep understanding of your team members’ behaviour preferences, and how you will be affected by them.
It is this level of behaviour skill that builds trust and increases the likelihood that people will engage and collaborate; they will communicate openly, adopt cooperative attitudes, and work in an integrated team with a shared responsibility for shared objectives. When trust is absent, damaged, or lost in the workplace, relationships are dysfunctional and work effectiveness and performance suffer.
Trust does not come automatically with positions of power, and even if it did, trust cannot be sustained by virtue of rank alone. It must be supported by ongoing strength-building behaviours. Trust is sustained by virtue of validation of our confidence over time that a person is reliable, honest, competent, compassionate, and courageous. Only then will our trust be earned.
The skill of Positive Presence, together with Positive Presence behaviour competencies, build trust earning behaviours such as:
• Consistency in manner, words, and actions
• Accountability and transparency, including active listening, sharing information, and taking responsibility instead of blaming
• Genuine or sincere interest in and concern for others
• Respectful and equal regard and treatment of others, regardless of rank and position
• Focused attention
• Principled and evidence-based decision making
• Dedication to fulfilling (not just making) promises
• Willingness to celebrate and reward good and exceptional work
So it is that collaboration is a balance between behaviour skill and organizational culture.
CORPORATE HARMONY is grateful to Dr. Michael E. Frisina for his contributions to this entry.
Catherine is the President and CEO of CORPORATE HARMONY, providing virtual solutions for leadership development and organizational culture change. Her leadership and coaching experience as a Project Manager in an ever-changing, fast moving technological organization with unrelenting demands drove her to the realization that a positive mindset and strength-building behaviors are essential for today’s complex and chaotic organizational systems. CORPORATE HARMONY’s virtual platform of programs, coaching and performance measurement, is an innovative online technology of tested proprietary content. The world-class content of CORPORATE HARMONY’s Positive Presence Program develops the skill of ‘Positive Presence’ and the necessary ‘Positive Presence Behaviour Competencies’ for maintaining a positive and energized mindset and increased performance in today’s complex work environment, and leading to a culture of collaboration and connection. Catherine’s vision for Corporate Harmony is to bring the skill of “Positive Presence” to the corporate world as it becomes more complex, ambiguous and chaotic. Catherine is uniquely positioned to impact organizations’ productivity and long term success, with her powerful vision of eliminating bad stress from every workplace around the globe, bringing purpose into the people equation to promote healthy, productive and meaningful work cultures and turn the tide on the neglect of mental health on a global scale. Catherine is author of the book: “CORPORATE HARMONY – The Performance Link for Today’s Modern Organization” Catherine can be reached at: Catherine.Osborne@corporateharmony.ca or go to ‘contact us’ on our website www.corporateharmony.ca. Catherine is available for consultation, and can be reached by 519-695-3407.